Gun Club Rant

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

So I was looking into joining PMSC today. $100 initiation fee, $75 annual dues, $10 for the gate key, go to two member meetings (held once a month) and find a current sponsor with a tenure of longer than 1 year. I also tried Allegheny County Rifle Club a while back. I put my name on a waiting list and I never got a call from them.

You can go to the sheriff's office, apply for an LTCF with no knowledge of firearms or skill whatsoever and get it. They didn't even call my references or asking a single question to make me demonstrate ANY level of proficiency. I admit on a regular basis that the first year I had my LTCF, I shouldn't have been carrying a firearm. I sucked. Having said that, try joining a gun club and it's the most elaborate ordeal of your life. Before people start with the 'they can't just let any moron in' argument, I get it. They can't just let anybody stroll in and start shooting with no skill or knowledge of safety protocol (unlike getting an LTCF in Allegheny county) but holy shit! Could PMSC seriously make it any more of a pain in the dick to join their club?

I wish I had a hobby that was less of an ordeal to enjoy.

[sgtmcbowflex]

Yeah, some of these clubs are unreal. Some have waiting lists that are years long. There's two within minutes of my house one never returned my email, and the other did after three months. They advised they were at their member limit but I could sign one of my minor children up to be a member, and I could be their guest because there was no limit for youth members. What a joke.

[Emptymag]

So going to TWO meetings is your definition of an "ordeal"?


LOL

I've actually never heard anyone complain about joining PMSC before.
You have virtually zero hoops to jump through, and can walk in knowing NOBODY, ask for a sponsor, and virtually be assured of getting one on the spot.


Maybe someone from a club that IS a pain in the ass can point out how silly your complaint actually is.
Maybe someone near Philly who pays $300+ per year for half the club we have...

[Gunsnwater]

And you got to walk up hill both ways! Lol

[Misery Loves Shotguns]

Notice the polar opposite reactions from the first two replies. Yes, I do think that having to go to two meetings that happen once a month with my work schedule is an ordeal. I don't have a car either. I could hypothetically use my girlfriends car if I were able to get those nights off. Problem is that when she gets home it's usually 7-730 if there's traffic because she doesn't get off until 630 and works on the totally opposite side of the world from PMSC. Miss a meeting and oh well, I'll wait another MONTH to get in. I'm not the only one either. My brother-in-law served 8 years in the army with a few years spent in Iraq and even he thinks PMSC makes you jump through too many hoops for it to be worth joining. He and his family live 10 minutes from the club! I will say that I did get to go there as a guest once and it is BY FAR the best gun club I've been to. I would be fine with paying the $185 membership dues to get started and have even offered to go half and half with my brother-in-law but neither one of us can make time to get to the meetings.

[jerkin]

I would be fine with paying the $185 membership dues to get started and have even offered to go half and half with my brother-in-law but neither one of us can make time to get to the meetings.

I don't think you're going to find a gun club that allows you to split a membership with someone, that's like taking your girl to the movies and splitting a ticket, lol.

[JenniferG]

I used to be a board member of my gun club. We asked for a sponsor and have them bring them to a meeting to meet the board. Then pay initiation fee of $25 and a year's dues which was like $125 back then. The only other thing we asked was you contribute some time on weekend clean ups and repair days. Some people can't be bothered with that though but what are you going to do toss them out?

It's like any other social club. There's always a core group of individuals that take care of all the business and all of the work and other members show up when "they have time". I gave up my seat on the board to let someone else take responsibility. I figure you have to do your time and then let someone else do theirs.

It's tough to get into some of the clubs that are around the suburban communities. There's limited space and most clubs have bylaws about membership size. I thought we had space for more members at our club because hardly anyone showed up on work days and I believed we needed to go over our membership list to see if some members had made the obituaries.

[glocke12]

Looks like a nice range and you can shoot steel. Hard to find a place that allows that here on the eastern side of the state.

I'd have no issue paying up to join that range.

Also, club meetings are great places to make new friends.

[ray h]

I think you need to get a car before joining any club.
Priorities my boy....pay the bills and get transportation, THEN think about membership fees and how to pop off $75 a day in bullets.

[hornady]

I can not say I have read a negative post concerning PMSC in the nearly 5 years I have been a member of this forum.

A couple years back, I had a membership at Crowfoot gun club, gaining Membership was a breeze. I only dropped mine after they needed to close their 200 and 300 yard rifle ranges. This was no fault of the club.

I recently joined the VSC near my home they have a 200-Yard rifle range. I don’t think the President of the club could have been more helpful.